Parents and guardians applying for subsidy for the first time may apply in person, by email or fax. There are five subsidy offices (Tahlequah, Catoosa, Pryor, Stillwell, & Sallisaw) and one drop-off location (Jay).

Eligibility Guidelines:

1. Parents/Guardians must be working, going to school, in need of protective services and/or actively participating in a structured job search for the purpose of obtaining employment. Includes: high school, college, post-graduate work, GED preparation, Vo-tech, and job skills training programs.
2. Household income must be at or below the amount listed for your family size to receive assistance paying child care expenses. See Income Guidelines in the downloads section below.
3. Parent(s) and/or child(ren) have proof of citizenship in a federally recognized tribe.
4. Family lives within the Cherokee Nation Child Care & Development Service Area. The Cherokee Nation Child Care & Development Service Area serves the entirety of all 14 counties located in the Cherokee Nation reservation.
5. Children may not be older than 12 years of age. However, children with special needs may qualify for services up to age 19. A child with special needs is any child who has a documented medical disability that requires special care.
6. The parent/guardian must use a child care facility or relative provider contracted with the Cherokee Nation.
7. The parent/guardian will need to bring the documents listed on the Required Document List.

How to Apply for Subsidy:

Clients need the following documentation and forms. Forms may be accessed by via the links or in the download section located at the bottom of this page.

• Review Required Document List and gather applicable documents, including child’s birth certificate, child’s (or parent’s) Tribal citizenship card, proof of physical address, parent/guardian(s) pay stubs and proof of enrollment in school (if applicable)
• Print and complete Subsidy Client Information Form
• Print and complete the Client Responsibility Form
• Print and have employer complete the Employment Verification Form

Once complete, please contact your nearest subsidy office location (see Subsidy Office Locations in the download section below) for caseworker contact information and how to submit your documents.

Client’s recertifying may submit documents by mail, email or fax to their assigned case worker.

If the parent/guardian subsidy application is approved, certification lasts up to 12 months if continued eligibility requirements are met.

Documents needed to apply for child care subsidy:

Parent/guardians must provide all information listed on the Required Document List for your child care subsidy application to be approved. Documents on this list include:

• proof of citizenship in a federally recognized tribe (child or parent)
• childbirth certificate
• proof of physical residence
• income verification
• school schedule (if applicable)
• custody (if applicable)
• Client Responsibility Form
• Employment Verification Form (completed by employer, if parent/guardian is self-employed, the parent/guardian may complete)

Child Care & Development Service Area

The Cherokee Nation Child Care & Development service area extends beyond the traditional boundaries of the Cherokee Nation in northeastern Oklahoma to include all portions of the fourteen counties listed below:

• Adair
• Cherokee
• Craig
• Delaware
• Mayes
• McIntosh
• Muskogee
• Nowata
• Ottawa
• Rogers
• Sequoyah
• Tulsa
• Wagoner
• Washington